Batavia's Jim & Sylvia Roberts Honored at Night of Hoops

Was the ceremony to honor Jim and Sylvia Roberts on Saturday everything it was supposed to be? No.

It actually turned out to be extra special, touching and it couldn't have been better.

Retired Batavia basketball coach Jim Roberts and his wife Sylvia were honored in a special ceremony at the 2013 Night of Hoops. During the ceremony the Batavia High School Basketball Program and Administration formally renamed the event “The Jim and Sylvia Roberts Night of Hoops.”

A plaque was presented to Coach Roberts commemorating the event along with a duplicate plaque hung outside the gym as a permanent reminder of what Coach Roberts means to Batavia High School.

About Jim Roberts

Jim Roberts was head coach of the Batavia Boys Basketball Program for 27 years, accumulating 455 wins during that time. His programs earned nine regional titles, two sectional titles, one super-sectional title and one trip to Peoria for the state tournament.

Coach Roberts is also a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame for his accomplishments and his contributions to basketball in the state of Illinois. 

Roberts is responsible for building the alumni base of Batavia basketball players to what it is today, according to a Batavia Public Schools Jan. 31 post on the event. He did this by treating each player, whether they were the star or not, with dignity and respect. Roberts took the time to know each of his players and along with Sylvia built a family around the sport of basketball.

"Jim emphasized tradition and respect for the game just as much as X’s and O’s," the districtwide message said. "It is with great honor and respect that we rename the event 'The Jim and Sylvia Roberts Night of Hoops.'"

• Read more about the legacy of Coach Jim Roberts (with comments from Mike Gaspari and Cole Gardner)

• Read more local sports news

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